Prabowo Questions Why Indonesia's Palm Oil Productivity Lags Behind Malaysia

President Prabowo Subianto has raised concerns about the state of Indonesian industry, questioning why the country’s palm oil production is outperformed by Malaysia. Speaking at the Sarasehan Kebangsaan Konvensi Sains, Teknologi, dan Industri Indonesia at the Jakarta International Convention Center on Friday, Prabowo noted that other nations are progressing towards prosperity through productivity. He recounted his repeated visits to universities to seek answers from the country’s brightest minds. “I come and ask the smartest people. I ask Mr Brian, I ask Professor Sigit, I ask the professors at IPB: why can’t we have wheat seeds? Why do we have to import wheat,” he said. “I ask, why is palm oil productivity per hectare in Malaysia higher than ours? Why?”

Prabowo also questioned the audience of 2,600 rectors, lecturers, and deans about the nation’s industrial shortcomings. “I stand before you, you who hold PhDs. Why, when we buy 10 million motorbikes each year, is there no Indonesian-owned factory?” he challenged. Despite his criticisms, the President expressed a sense of pride in the country’s progress towards producing a national car, even if it is not yet perfect. He shared his satisfaction at being able to ride in the Maung, an Indonesian-designed and manufactured vehicle, after his inauguration. While acknowledging that no car is made entirely from domestic components, he stated that achieving 65 to 70 per cent local content allows it to be claimed as an Indonesian product. He did, however, recount an incident where the vehicle’s roof leaked during heavy rain.